In this day in age I can not believe that Europe is once again at the center of a possible war. Vladimir Putin seems to be taking pages right out Hitler's notebook. The question is will he start rolling tanks across Europe's borders and will anyone have the courage to stop him.

This is just a weird picture of a president of one of earth's largest (land mass) nation:

Scary stuff indeed. I think we are all hoping he is going to stop at the Ukraine, but that may not be his plan....

I have some really good friends living int he Ukraine (they are Ukrainian). It sure sounds pretty spooky over there right now.

Putin is just a commie acting like a commie. Little man with grandiose ideas. Problem is, he has the military means to make things miserable for his neighbors and Russian Nationalism seems to be going through the roof right now.

I pray for the missionaries and friends we have in that region of the world right now. Certainly the whack job running North Korea is always a concern, but Putin certainly has the ability to make things a lot more unstable. And the fact that Russia (along with other nations) has veto power over any UN Security Council measures shows just how weak and useless that organization really is. I know I'm in the minority, but I's love to see the US get out of the United Nations.

I've ranted and rambled enough!!

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Always vote for principle, though you may vote alone, and you may cherish the sweetest reflection that your vote is never lost. -- John Quincy Adams

Do your duty in all things. You cannot do more, you should never wish to do less - Robert E. Lee

For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved - Romans 10:13 (KJV)

The Lord is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble, and he knoweth them that trust in him - Nahum 1:7 (KJV)

I really think the world is a much scarier place then it was say 20-30 years ago. True we always had the threat of assured mutual destruction from a Global Nuclear war, but atleast each side understood each other and the cost of war would have been far to great. (USSR vs US)

Now we have little wars popping up everywhere and nationalism is on the rise. Putin's goal is to retake as much of the lost territory from the old Soviet Union and he will use any means necessary.

And what is really stopping him? I don't think anyone would risk a war, but wasn't appeasement part of the problem in Hitler's rise?

I really think the world is a much scarier place then it was say 20-30 years ago. True we always had the threat of assured mutual destruction from a Global Nuclear war, but atleast each side understood each other and the cost of war would have been far to great. (USSR vs US)

Now we have little wars popping up everywhere and nationalism is on the rise. Putin's goal is to retake as much of the lost territory from the old Soviet Union and he will use any means necessary.

And what is really stopping him? I don't think anyone would risk a war, but wasn't appeasement part of the problem in Hitler's rise?

While I'm sure that most people who consider themselves to be Ukrainian would disagree, there hasn't ever been a country called Ukraine, and anything even resembling an independent country of any name since at least 1300 AD. So this issue has been going on from before there even was a United States.

When the Soviet Union disintegrated there were "Republics" created by the Communists that became "nations" with no consideration given to who the native populations were made up of. Prior to that in 1654 the Ukraine basically became an Imperial Russian province with the signing of the Treaty of Pereyaslav, and in the mid 1700s, Peter the Great put an end to local Ukrainian rule. Imperial Russia annexed Crimean in 1783.

If anyone here recalls Lord Tennyson's poem, "The Charge of the Light Brigade", about the Battle of Balaclava (fought in the Ukraine in 1854) during the Crimean War between Imperial Russia on one side and the British, French, Austria, and Ottoman Empire on the other you can see one of many examples of how long this area of the world has been in turmoil.

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MacEAKASteve Ewing

I know that my Redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand upon the earth. Job 19:25

"Non sibi sed patriae!"

Reviresco (I grow strong again) Clan MacEwen motto

Audaciter (Audacity)My Ewing Family Motto(descendants of Baron William Ewing of Glasgow, born about 1630)

"Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt." Abraham Lincoln

I agree, on one hand there does seem to be a valid argument from Putin that those are Russian Ethnic individuals living in the Ukraine. However, at the same time was it not Hitler who made the same argument about bringing German Ethnic minorities into the third reich from other nationals.

I'm honestly torn on whether Putin is the next Hitler. I think he using Hitler's play book. But the circumstances are different. The combined forces of the Nato countries could easily defend Eastern Europe if they resolved too.

Maybe he just wants to see how far he can go before we stop him.....

Read an interesting article how the Russians are working in Northern Africa (again Hitler's play book) to build the Oil industries there under Russian control. The real reason is to further get a noose around the West's (Europe) neck so he can control them.

If the Europeans are not willing to take a stand and stop Russian aggression, don't look to America to give her sons and daughters for a future war...

The fact that a majority of the people in Crimea want to be a part of Russia should surprise no one considering their history. The US has of course, been caught red handed in interfering in the internal affairs of the Ukraine. In fact, the money that the US Congress has procreated to give to the people who usurped the lawful government of the Ukraine is in direct violation of US Code... as US Code forbids providing monetary aid to any faction who gained power through a military coup.

Yes the majority of Crimeans have consistently over the years favored being part of Russia... that is basic history. This differs from the majority of Ukrainians, as the majority of Ukrainians are not ethnically Russians.

Bottom line is, this is none of the US business and one would think with as many domestic problems that the US has, those idiots in Washington would have the basic sense to not send money they don't have to the Ukraine and enough sense to not antagonize Russia to the point that they bypass the US monopoly on trading oil in the dollar. The main reason gas in the US is cheaper than other countries is because other countries have used the dollar to trade oil in. If Russia sets and maintains the precedent that oil can be traded in other currencies besides the dollar $7-8 a gallon a gas would be a very likely outcome in the US.

Whatever happens between the "geographic" state known as the Ukraine and the Russian government is something those two parties need to work out of their own.

If as you say the majority want to be part of Russia then Putin should let the up coming election take place insted of interfering! That will tell who wants what!

Here comes the votes! The Donetsk and Lugansk overwhelming vote to leave Kiev.... this in combination of a very high voter turn out, despite Kiev's attempt to suppress voter turn out! Here's one new link for those who are interested.